The cape

[celandineb]

I have a cape that I wear most of the winter (on campus -- on days off I often wear an ancient and threadbare jacket); it's made of a medium-weight dark grey wool and lined with heavy black acetate. There's a hood, thought I never use it because it's loose and just blows off. My sister made this for me about 5 years ago, so I wore it at my

Comments

[telperion1]

Very interesting indeed. I would love to have a cape and am jealous. Not enough to do anythin about it, just enough to appreciate what you have. But I'm sure it does your nerdy heart good to have people ask you stuff like that. Go you!

[celandineb]

Oh, totally. *g* I've never belonged to the SCA or anything of the sort, but there is a certain level of geeky goodness in wearing something so out of fashion.

[owlfish]

I regularly wore capes for years - all through my undergraduate and MA years. The thing is, a heavy backpack goes inelegantly with a cloak, and I needed the heavy backpack for all the books that needed lugging. I lived on campus for undergrad and MA, so I never needed to lug anything very far and could get away with doing it on one should. PhD, I lived off-campus, and the cloak would no longer coordinate - I needed the backpack on both shoulders. I have several (different weights for different times of year) - I still use them for trips out which don't involved backpacks, but not as much as I used to. Sad really. Also, with one exception, they all have very practical hoods and pockets and buttons to keep them warm around my neck.

[celandineb]

No pockets in mine, or any armlike things -- it's basically just a big old blanket, almost (exaggerating, but you know what I mean, not really shaped in any way).

I carry my briefcase/purse/whatever under the cape, which does make me look lumpy; and I can see where it wouldn't work well at all with a big backpack either over or under. One of these days I'll make myself a second one, different color/weight probably, though when I was choosing the fabrics I was very careful to go with the most versatile I could think of.

[celandineb]

LOL -- yeah. I don't do a lot of wandering in the woods (or wondering, for that matter); but I'd think it might catch on brambles and twigs a little much for my taste. Also, no pockets to hold useful things, which is a drawback. But I love the way it looks.

[a_d_medievalist]

sounds cool, although I like my tailored coat way lots -- no fussing!

[celandineb]

If the weather's supposed to be cool at the Zoo, you'll probably see me in it there. *g*

[gauriel]

I love capes. *g*

Reminds me a bit of the time I was in the doctor's office knitting...and this young, cute, twentysomething guy asked me about the pattern. Turned out he knitted too! I just about died laughing once I got home. *giggles at the memory*

[celandineb]

Hee! A classic example of "you can't judge a book by its cover," there!

Now, knitting is something I've never tried.

[gauriel]

It's fun! Though, *looks guilty*, my knitting box is just full of half-done projects. :P I keep getting distracted by new project books and ideas.

I haven't actually knitted in a long time, but I'm starting to get that itch again. Now if only I knew where my knitting supplies went during the move.

[celandineb]

I can't tell you how much I do NOT need another new crafty thing to take up my time! *g*